An international expertise in the fields of energy and environment
Dedicated since 1973 to the fields of energy and environment, Frédéric NICOLAS obtained an expertise which was internationally recognized by the PLEA price (Passive and Low Energy Architecture) awarded in 2002 by the association of the same name, grouping together research laboratories worldwide, for his contribution to the development of bioclimatic architecture.
During a first stay in the USA in 1973, he met some pioneers of solar architecture (Steve Baer, Day Charoudi, John Balcomb…) and he published in March 1974 La Face Cachée du Soleil (The hidden side of the Sun), the first book in french talking about how to use solar energy in buildings (in collaboration with Marc Vaye et Jean-Pierre Traisnel).
Special correspondent of the Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Architecturales (Architecture studies and research center) between 1975 and 1978 in the USA and in the UK, he published 4 supplements to the newsletter edited by this organization and made an exhibition in collaboration with the Centre de Création Industriel-Beaubourg (Industrial Creation Center-Beaubourg).
Member of the team Ecoville Europe (Ecocity Europe) since 1985, he has created a network with architects in Germany, in the UK, and in Italy, including the Neapolitan agency Pica Camarra and partners who made the remarkable building hosting the CNR (Research center) of Naples. He worked for them as a consultant on bioclimatic topics for the project Citta de la Scienza (bioclimatic conversion of a brownfield of 15 000 m2).
Laureate in 1975 of the first session of the competition HOT (Original Housing by Thermics), launched by the building department, he has conducted since then many studies about bioclimatic architecture and energy, including ARCHITECTURE URBAINE BIOCLIMATIQUE (URBAN BIOCLIMATIC ARCHITECTURE) with Michel Remon for this department (1981-1985). He worked in a team led by Bruno Peuportier (ARMINES) to develop simplified tools to apply the RT 2005 and he was consultant for the region PACA (south east of France) about overall costs.
Regarding his constructions, his first solar house mixing passive and active systems was built in the area of Paris in 1977. It was often published and was followed by a team of the CNRS (National Scientific Research Center). Many other constructions were born since then, mainly in the south of France, including the Maison d’Accueil Spécialisé de Saignon (house for disable people in Saignon, south of France), laureate in 2002 of the competition Habitat Solaire – Habitat d’Aujourd’hui (Solar housing-today housing) in the category of service building.
Winner in 2007 together with Michel Remon of the international competition for building the head quarter of the INES (National Institute of Solar Energy), emblematic building with very low energy consumption (7500 m2, 13,5M€) and in 2008 for a school with positive energy in Herblay (Paris area), certified HQER (4 920 m², 10.4 M€) delivered respectively in 2013 and in 2014.
He built as well the EREA (Regional Establishment of Specialized Education) Louis ARAGON in the Pennes Mirabeau (south of France) together with Kaan Coskun (10 000 m2, 18,5 M€).
He still is a speaker in several architecture schools, acting as a member of the steering committee as well as a speaker within the continuous education system organized by the Ecole Supérieure d’Architecture (Superior Architecture School) of Marseille regarding the Environmental Quality of the Mediterranean area (2003-2012).
He is also one of the creator and was the president of the association EnviroB.A.T Méditerrannée from May 2010 to December 2014. He was a consultant architect of the MIQCP (Interministerial Mission for the Quality of Public Constructions) from 2007 to 2012 and is now Architect advisor for the State (Ministère de l’Egalité des Territoires et du Logement – Ministère de l’Ecologie et Développement Durable et de l’Energie).